Cashbox



March 1949- A. BRANDES 2,465,057

CASHBOX Filed Aug. 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 3nvenfor 3 J a I Q I I (Ittomeg March 22, 1949. I A. BRANDES CASHBOX Filed Aug. 2, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 116 11 ,II 155 1/4 1/1 69 115 V f 1a? 69 Zhwentor ws lhwfii mdew,

Patented Mar. 22 1949 CASHBOX Arthur Brandes, Arcadia, Calif., assignor to Worley and Company, Pico, Calif., a corporation of California Application August 2, 1947, Serial No. 765,693

6 Claims.

The present invention relates to cash boxes of the type adapted to be demountably secured and locked to a supporting stand or pedestal, so that the box may be removed therefrom and transferred to another location for safe keeping, as during the night time. Cash boxes of this general nature are particularly suited for use in gasoline service stations, owing to the convenience of being able to mount the box on an outside supporting stand adjacent the pump island during the day, while at night, or during inclement weather, the cash box can be brought inside the station and mounted on a counter plate. By thus mounting the each box adjacent the pump island where the great majority of sales are made, the attendant is saved considerable time and energy in making change, and at the same time, customer waiting is reduced to a minimum, with increased opportunities for making extra sales.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved arrangement whereby the cash box is positively and securely locked to its supporting structure, yet may be quickly and easily removed from one support and moved to another. I accomplish this end by providing a pair of laterally projecting flanges on the box which extend along opposite sides thereof, and which are engaged in tracks on the supporting structure by sliding the box longitudinally along the tracks until a springpressed latch pin projecting through an opening in the bottom of the box, drops into a detent hole in the support. The tracks and flanges cooperate to secure the cash box to the supporting structure, while the latch pin locks the box against sliding movement along the tracks so that the box cannot be removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cash box which is adapted to be interchangeably secured to either of two or more supports, and in which the box is locked to the selected support by locking means contained on the inside of the box and accessible only when the lid is opened. The lid is provided with a key-operated lock, and is kept locked at all times except when in use, so that the aforesaid locking means is inaccessible to unauthorized persons.

Still a further object of the invention is to produce a each box with supporting structures therefor, which is simple to manufacture, durable, and attractive in appearance.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art, upon consideration of 2 the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing the cash box mounted on the utility cabinet stand;

Figure 2 is a similar view, showing the cash box partially withdrawn from the stand;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the counterplate to which the cash box may also be attached;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fore and aft vertical section, taken through the cash box mounted on the utility cabinet stand;

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view, taken along the line 55 in Figure 4; and

Figure 6 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 66 in Figure 4.

In the drawings, the cash box of the invention is designated generally by the reference numeral Ill, and is adapted to be mounted on top of a utility cabinet stand H, or alternatively, on a counter-plate I2, such as is shown in Figure 3.

The utility cabinet stand II is designed primarily for outside installation in gasoline service stations, and is usually located adjacent the pump island, so as to provide a convenient storage box for clip boards, windshield cleaner bottles, wiping cloths, chamois, and the like, as well as providing support for the cab box it. The stand ll includes an iron pipe supporting pedestal l3 which may be bolted to any suitable base or sunk into the concrete of the pump island. Welded to the upper end of the pedestal I3 is a horizontal top plate M, and the utility cabinet, or bottom box IE, is secured to the top plate I l by screws IS.

The screws l6 are preferably of a special type designed specifically to prevent removal by ordinary tools in the hands of a petty thief, and each screw is originally formed as shown in the left hand side of the pedestal in Figure 4, bein provided with an auxiliary hexagonal wrench head 2|] which is connected to the regular round-head 2! by a tapered, cone-shaped neck portion 22. The cross-sectional area of the metal at the junction 23 of the cone-shaped neck 22 with the round-head 2! is slightly less than the area of the shank 24 of the screw, and therefore weaker in torsion than the latter, so that when the screw is drawn up tight by application of a wrench to the head 20, the latter twists off at the weakened points 2|, leaving a smoothly rounded head 2| having no slots or facets to provide purchase for a removal tool.

3 The screw at the right hand side of the pedestal I3 in Figure 4 shows the appearance of the same after the wrench head 20 has been twisted ofi.

The shank 24 of each of the screws I6 passes upwardly through aligned holes in the top plate I4, base plate 25 of the box I5, and bracket 26, and is threaded into a self-locking nut 39 which is attached to the bracket 26. The brackets 28 are spot-welded to the top surface of the base plate 25, and the latter has raised flanges 3! along its side which lie against and are spotwelded to the bottom panel 32 of the cabinet I5.

Box I is preferably fabricated of heavy gage sheet steel and has side wall panels 33 and a rear wall panel 34 which are formed in one piece. Downwardly bent flanges 35 along the side and rear edges of the bottom panel 32 abut against and are spot-welded to the side and rear walls of the box I5 adjacent the lower elges thereof, while the front edge of the panel 32 is bent downwardly and then rearwardly to form an apron extending across the bottom front of the box.

The top edges of the side panels are bent inwardly to form a narrow horizontal shoulder and then upwardly to form a vertical riser ii, finally terminating in laterally inwardly directed mounting flanges 42 which support the top panel 43 of the box. The shoulders it! extend the length of the box from front to rear, and these cooperate with downwardly turned flanges it along the side edges of the top panels '33 to form narrow slots or channel tracks 25 which receive locking flanges 46 on the bottom side edges of the cash box ID, to secure the latter thereto. The rear end of the top panel 43 rests on a flange l'i which is bent forwardly from the top edge of the rear wall 34, and th top panel 43 is spotwelded to the flanges 42, 4'4. The front end of the panel 43 is also welded to a horizontal mounting flange 5%] on a cross-piece 5I extending across the top of the open front of the box I I, said crosspiece being likewise bent to form a set back or shoulder which cooperates with a downwardlyturned lip 53 along the front edge of the top panel 43 to form a forwardly opening slot 5-? that is adapted to receive a rearwardly directed flange 55 on the bottom front edge of the cash box Iii.

The interior of the cabinet I5 is divided by a vertical partition 56 into a left hand compartment 6|! and a right hand compartment BI. The left hand compartment 69 is provided with suitable shelves or supporting flanges to receive two clip boards, designated at 62, which ma be used to hold the various record sheets, sales slips, and the like, as required. The right hand compartment BI is divided vertically by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined shelf 83 which may be used to hold a bottle of windshield cleaner, while the space below the shelf 83 may be used to hold sponges, wiping cloths, chamois, or the like.

The cash box ID is also preferably fabricated of heavy gage sheet steel, and includes side walls 65, back wall 66, and front wall 61. The bottom of the box is formed by a flat rectangular panel 88 having downwardly turned flanges 69 along its side and front edges, which abut again-st and are spot-welded to the side walls 65 and front wall 51 of the box. The bottom edge of the rear wall 66 is bent under to form a flange .il which is also spot-welded to the bottom panelfiil. The side walls 65 and front wall 61 extend down below the bottom panel 68, and are bent horizontally inward under the flanges B9 to form the locking flanges 46 and 55 which are received within the tracks 45 and engage the lip 53, respectively, on

the bottom box I5, or the corresponding elements of the counter-plate I2, which will be described presently. The cash box I3 is closed by a springhinged lid or cover II having a flange I2 extending downwardly from all four of its side edges to cover the top edge of the box. A U-shaped bracket I3 is welded to the cover II adjacent the rear edge thereof, and the arms of this bracket are pivoted on hinge pins I4 which pass through horizontally aligned holes in the arms of U-shaped brackets I5 that are welded to the back wall 66 of the box. The cover H is urged to the open position by torsion springs 78 which encircle the hinge pins I4 and have end portions TI and [8 bearing against the lid 'II and rear wall 36, respectively.

The cover 'II is adapted to be locked closed by means including a lock finger 80 which is pivoted at its lower end on a pin 8! held by the bottom arm of a C-shaped bracket 82, the latter being welded to the front wall 61 of the box. The upper end of the lock finger 80 projects through a slot 83 in the top arm of the bracket 82, and is also adapted to pass through a slot 84 in the depending center portion of a lock strike 85. The lock strike 85 has outwardly turned flanges 83 at its ends which are spot-welded to the cover H. A hook at the top end of the lock finger 80 is engageable with the strike 85 at the right hand end of the slot 84 when the cover is closed, as shown in solid lines in Figure 5. The lock finger 80 is urged in a clockwise direction to the locking position by means of a torsion spring 9| encircling the pin SI and having arm port ons 92 and 93 which engage the bottom panel 88 of thebox and the lock finger 80, respectively.

The lock finger 80 is adapted to be moved over to the unlocked position, shown in dot-dash line in Figure 5, by means of a cylinder lock 94 which extends through alined holes in the front Wall 61 of the box and bracket 82, said lock being secured in place by means of a locking ring 95 which is screwed onto the threaded barrel of the lock and bears against the inside surface of the front wall. A finger 96 is mounted on the inside end of the cylinder of the lock and is engageable with the lock finger 80 to push the latter toward the left (Figure 5) when the key 97 is turned in the lock.

Disposed within the cash box I El and occupying the front half thereof is a coin tray IIIEI comprising a sheet metal shelf IUI having a downwardly turned apron I02 along its rear edge which rests upon the bottom panel 68 of the box. The front end of the shelf IBI rests on the top of the bracket 82, and has an upwardly extending flange I03 with a forwardly bent lip I04 at its top edge which fits within a downwardly opening channel Iflfiformed in the top edge of the front wall 61 of the box. A plurality of hemispherical cups IOSare'inserted down through circular openingsin the shelf IDI and are provided with outwardly turned flanges which are spot-welded to the top surface of the shelf. A notch H0 is cut into thefront end of the shelf IDI to pass the lock finger :80.

The rear half of the cash box In is provided with a plurality of spring currency holders III which are supported by a bracket H2 and extend forwardly therefrom. Each of the'holders'III comprises a U-shaped portion I I3, which has coils H4 at the rear ends of the arms thereof, which encircle a rod H5. The rod H5 is inserted through rolled portions H6 in the'frontedge of the bracket I I2, and these rolled portions'are cut out at I20 to receive the-spring coils III. The

bracket II2 rests on the top flange of a Z-shaped bracket I2 I, the bottom flange of which bears on and is welded to the bottom panel 68 of the box. A downwardly turned flange I22 at the rear end of the bracket 2 extends downwardly behind a the vertical portion of the bracket I2I and is welded thereto. Dividers, in the form of angles I23, are welded to the bottom panel 68 between adjacent pairs of the currency holders II' to divide the rear portion of the box into compartments for bills of different denominations.

The cash box I is adapted to be locked with respect to its support against longitudinal sliding movement along the tracks thereof, by locking means designated generally at I25 and comprising a spring-pressed latch pin I25 which extends through vertically alined holes in the arms of a U-shaped bracket I30 welded to the back of the bracket assembly II 2, I2I. The lower end I3I of the latch pin I26 extends downwardly through an opening I32 formed in the bottom of the box at the rear end thereof, and is adapted to drop into a detent hole I33 formed in the top panel 43 of the box I5, or into a corresponding hole I33a provided in the counter-plate I2. The latch pin I26 is urged downwardly by a coil spring I34 which encircles the pin between the arms of the bracket I30 and bears at its lower end against a keeper I35 fixed to the pin. The upper end of the sprin I34 bears against the top arm of the bracket I35, and the pressure of the spring is transmitted to the latch pin through the keeper I35. A forwardly bent portion I35 at the top end 'of the latch pin I26 provides a convenient handle for lifting the pin to withdraw the lower end I3l thereof from the detent hole I33 so that the cash box can be pulled forwardly along the track and removed from its support.

The counter-plate I2, which serves as an alternative support for the cash box I0, comprises a flat base plate Mil having screw holes MI adjacent the corners thereof which enable the plate to be screwed down to a counter or tabletop. Fixed to the top surface of the plate I45 adjacent the side edges thereof are fore-and-aft extending members I 32, each of which has an inwardly extending bottom flange I43 that rests on and is spot welded to the plate, and an outwardly extending top flange I44 that is raised up from the plate. The top flanges IM cooperate with the edges of the plate I45 to form outwardly facing channel tracks I45 which are adapted to receive the inwardly turned flanges 46 on the bottom of the cash box IIJ. Extendin across the front of the plate I49 is a third member I46 having a rearwardly extending bottom flange I55 that is welded to the plate, and a forwardly extending elevated top flange II which serves as a lip to engage the flange 55 on the bottom front edge of the cash box Ill. The rear end of the plate I60 is bent upwardly and then forwardly to form an elevated flange I52 which is perforated at its midpoint to form the detent hole I 33a.

To mount the cash box II! on the bottom box I5 of the utility cabinet stand, the rear ends of the side flanges 46 on the box are led into the channel tracks 45, and the box It is then pushed rearwardly to the position shown in Figure 1. As the cash box reaches the limit of its rearward travel, the flange 55 at the bottom front edge thereof slips into the slot 54 on the front of the bottom box I5 and is engaged by the lip 53, limiting the box against further rearward movement. At the same time, the spring-pressed latch pin I26 drops down into the detent hole I33, locking the box In against sliding movement forwardly along the track 45. When the cover II is locked down in closed position, the latch pin I26 is inaccessible to unauthorized persons, and the box cannot be removed from the stand. The locking flanges 45 and 55 provide continuous locking engagement for the box IE] along the entire length of both sides and across the front, makin it impossible to insert any ordinary tool into the space between them so as to pry the cash box IE olf the bottom box I5.

When the station attendant desires to remove the cash box from the outside utility cabinet stand III to the inside counter-plate I2 he has merely to unlock the cover ll with the key 91, whereupon the springs I5 raise the cover to the position shown in dot-dash lines at Ila in Figure 4. A backstop I55 on the bracket I3 engages the back wall 66 of the cash box to limit the opening movement of the cover to the position shown. The attendant then reaches inside the box and lifts the latch pin I 25 by the handles I36, withdrawing the bottom end l3I of the latch pin from the detent hole I33. The cash box can then be withdrawn forwardly from the bottom box I5 by sliding it along the track 45. The cash box IE! is mounted on the counter-plate I2 by leading the side flanges 45 into the tracks I45, and then pushing the box rearwardly until the front flange 55 slips under the lip I5I on the counter-plate, and latch pin I26 drops into the detent hole I33a.

While I have shown and described in considerable detail what I believe to be the preferred form of my invention, it is to be understood that such details are merely illustrative, and that various changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the broader claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. A cash box comprising, in combination, a box having side walls extending downwardly below the bottom of the box and terminating in laterally inwardly directed flanges, a supporting structure having outwardly facing guide ways adapted to receive said flanges and cooperating therewith to hold said box to said structure, said box being slidable longitudinally along said guide ways to engagethe same, a latch pin disposed within said box, said pin being adapted to project through an opening in said box to engage said structure and prevent sliding movement of the box along said track, spring means urging said latch pin to project through said opening, and a lid for said box that can be closed and locked to cover said latch pin, the position of the pin with relation to the lid being such that movement of the pin is independent of whether the lid is open or closed.

2. A cash box comprising, in combination, a box having sheet metal side walls extending downwardly below the bottom of the box and terminating in inwardly turned flanges, said box also having a sheet metal front wall extending downwardly below the bottom of the box and terminating in a rearwardly directed flange, and a utility cabinet stand having a top structure provided at opposite sides with a pair of outwardly facing longitudinal ways slidably engageable by said side wall flanges and at its forward end with a lip under which said front wall flange may engage said ways and said lip cooperating with said flanges to hold said box to said utility cabinet stand.

3. A service stand comprising, in combination:

a utility cabinet box having vertical side panels, the top edge of each of said side panels being bent inwardly to form a narrow horizontal shoulder, then upwardly to form a vertical riser, and then horizontally again to form a mounting flange, a flat top panel resting on and attached to said mounting flanges and having marginal portions of said top panel cooperating with said vertical risers and said horizontal shoulders to form oppositely facing channels, and a cash box adapted to be detachably mounted on said utility cabinet :box and having at its bottom inwardly turned flange means slidably engageable in and along said channels, said flange means holding said cash box against vertical separation from I said utility cabinet box.

4. A service stand comprising, in combination, a utility cabinet box having vertical side panels, the top edge of each of said side panels being bent inwardly to form a narrow horizontal shoulder, then upwardly to form a vertical riser, and then inwardly again to form a horizontal flange, a flat top panel resting on and attached to said horizontal flanges and having marginal. portions projecting outwardly beyond vertical risers, said marginal portions of said top panel being bent downwardly so that the edges thereof are spaced only a short distance above and cooperate with said horizontal shoulders to define oppositely facing narrow slots, and a cash box adapted to be detachably mounted on said utility cabinet box and having inwardly projecting flanges spaced downwardly from the bottom panel thereof along the side edges of the box, said flanges being slidably engageable in and along said oppositely facing slots.

5. A service stand comprising, in combination, a utility cabinet box having vertical side panels and a horizontal top panel, said box being formed with opposite, outwardly facing longitudinal channels extending along the side panels adjacent the top edges thereof, and a cash box adapted to be detachably mounted on said utility cabinet box,rsaid cash box having a bottom panel and side panels extending downwardly below the bottom panel, said bottom panel having downwardly bent mounting flanges along the margins thereof attached to said side panels, said side panels being bent horizontally inward below the bottom edges of said mounting flanges to form attachment flanges which are slidably engageable in and along said outwardly facing channels, said attachment flanges securing said cash box against vertical risers and bent downwardly so that the edges thereof are spaced only a short distance above and cooperate with said horizontal shoulders to define outwardly facing narrow slots along thesides of said utility cabinet box, and a cash box adapted to be detachably mounted on said utility cabinet box by sliding movement longitudinally along said slots, said cash box having side panels, and a bottom panel having downwardly bent mounting flanges along the side margins thereof spaced by a suflicient distance apart to receive between them said downwardly bent portions of said top panel of said utility cabinet box, said mounting flanges being attached to said side panels short distance up from the bottom edge thereof, said side panels being bent horizontally inward below the bottom edges of said mounting flanges to form attachment flanges which are engageable in said slots to secure said cash box against vertical separation from said utility cabinet box, said attachment flanges along the side panels of the cash box riding longitudinally along said horizontal shoulders formed at the top edges of the side panels of said utility cabinet box, with said downwardly bent mounting flanges of said bottom panel of said cash box in sliding engagement with said downwardly bent marginal portions of said top panel of said utility cabinet box.

ARTHUR BRANDES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 188,566 Barnes Mar. 20, 1877 951,090 Kilian Mar. 1, 1910 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 392,557 Great Britain May 17, 1933 

